Tom S. Allen was taken suddenly on June 16, 2018 leaving an extended family shocked and grieving.

He was born Sept. 21, 1947.

Tommy could easily have been Dos Equis’ Most Interesting Man in the World. He was handsome, he sailed a yacht through the Panama Canal, earned a degree from Evergreen State College, picked berries and beans in the fields with his brothers and sisters, worked on crab and salmon boats in the Gulf of Alaska, logged forests in Whatcom County, started an East-Indian import business, tended bar at Shenanigan’s in San Diego and managed Chaps’ in Stockton, was a broker for Frasier Yachts selling 80- to 120-foot boats to the rich and famous in California, Washington state, and Europe, held a 1,600-ton Master Oceans license from the U.S. Coast Guard, captained charter boats through the Straits of Juan de Fuca and the Gulf of Mexico, manned booths in boat shows from Los Angeles to Monaco, and was proprietor/grease monkey at the Green Light Garage on Bainbridge Island with Ali, Nick and Baxter.

Family was all-important to Tommy. Ali was the love of his life, Tommy thought she was beautiful, spunky, courageous and smart. He was proud of her career as a nurse, the way she embraced motherhood, her nightly 45-minute jog on the treadmill, her delicious muffins, cookies, and bread —especially the bread. He dearly loved his boys, Nick and Bax, and taught them how to fly fish, shingle a roof, fix a carburetor, make a grilled cheese sandwich, set a pick, swear, row a boat, be polite, respect their mother, and work hard.

Over the years we weave a tapestry consisting of threads from friends, family, pets, work buddies, and loved ones. Some patches are colorful; other patches more subdued. Tommy’s portion was big, bold and bright. He will leave a huge hole in the fabric of our lives.